Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescarasp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Wescarasp’, characterized by its semi-upright and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; relatively small-sized leaves; medium-sized flowers; and numerous red purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored venation and circumorbital ring.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Wescarasp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Wescarasp’.

The new Calibrachoa is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Südlohn, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop new vigorous Calibrachoa cultivars with attractiveand unique flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2000 of a proprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified ascode number 00P108, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Calibrachoa identified as code number 00P192,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment inSüdlohn, Germany as a single plant within the resulting progeny from thecross-pollination.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings atSüdlohn, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of thisnew Calibrachoa are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wescarasp have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Wescarasp’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Wescarasp’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa:

-   -   1. Semi-upright and vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; short internodes; dense and bushy        appearance.    -   3. Relatively small-sized leaves.    -   4. Medium-sized flowers.    -   5. Numerous red purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored        venation and circumorbital ring.

Plants of the cultivar Wescarasp can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn,Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection        differed in flower color as plants of the female parent        selection had lighter pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar Wescarasp can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn,Germany, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than and not        as cascading as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter internodes than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the male parent selection        differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection        had blue violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa cultivar Wescadarkblue, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,119. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany,plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivarWescadarkblue in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact and more        upright than plants of the cultivar Wescadarkblue.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had broader leaves than plants        of the cultivar Wescadarkblue.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had shorter peduncles than        plants of the cultivar Wescadarkblue.    -   4. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the cultivar Wescadarkblue        differed in flower color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa cultivar Wescaplum, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,069.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn, Germany, plants of thenew Calibrachoa differed from plants of the cultivar Wescaplum in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more upright than and not        as cascading as plants of the cultivar Wescaplum.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had smaller and darker        green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Wescaplum.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa had lighter purple-colored        flowers than plants of the cultivar Wescaplum.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Calibrachoa.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of typical flowering plants of ‘Wescarasp’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Wescarasp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and for the followingdescription were grown under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the spring and summer in aglass-covered greenhouse in Südlohn, Germany. Plants were about 20 weeksfrom planting rooted cuttings and grown in containers. During theproduction of the plants, the day temperatures ranged from 20 to 25° C.,night temperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from3,000 to 50,000 lux.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. cultivar Wescarasp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Calbrachoa sp.            identified as 00P108, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Calbrachoa sp.            identified as 00P192, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 18 to 20 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 to 28 days at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous, and            well-branched.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; semi-upright; uniform, rounded            appearance, plants eventually become spherical in overall            shape. Freely branching with lateral branches forming at            every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and            patio containers.        -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About            15.6 cm.        -   Plant length (from soil level to lateral branches            apices).—About 50 cm.        -   Stem description.—Main branches, length: About 45 cm. Main            branches, diameter: About 2.3 mm. Lateral branches, length:            About 16 cm. Lateral branches, diameter: About 1 mm.            Internode length: About 9.5 mm. Texture: Pubescent.            Strength: Strong, wiry. Color: 144B tinted with 174A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple;            sessile. Length: About 2.6 cm. Width: About 1.1 cm. Shape:            Oblanceolate to elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate.            Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery. Venation: Pinnate.            Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 146A. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: 147A; midvein, 147B; lateral veins, similar to            lamina. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B;            midvein, 147C; lateral veins, similar to lamina.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Medium-sized flowers; flowers face            upright or outward; single, axillary. Flowers not            persistent. Freely flowering with flowers forming at every            axil.        -   Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn;            flowering continuous.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 3 cm. Depth (height): About            2 cm. Tube length: About 1.4 cm. Throat diameter, distal            end: About 7 mm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 2 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Towards the base, 144D; mid-section,            N79A; towards the apex, N79B to N79C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused into flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.2 cm. Petal width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate with a rounded apex. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower            surfaces: 64A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: 64A to            64B; color becoming closer to N79C with development;            circumorbital ring, N79A; venation, N79A to 79C. Petal,            fully opened, lower surface: 70A to 70B; venation, N79A to            N79B. Flower throat (inside): 2A; venation, N79A. Flower            tube (outside): 144C; venation, N79A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,            star-shaped. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 3.2 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.3 mm. Width: About 1 mm.            Strength: Flexible, wiry. Texture: Slightly pubescent.            Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Anther shape: Four-parted, ovate. Anther length: About            1.2 mm. Anther diameter: About 1.1 mm. Filament length:            About 5.5 mm. Filament color: 145C. Anther color: 6C. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 6C. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Ovate.            Stigma color: 144B. Style length: About 6 mm. Style color:            145C overlain with 177C. Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Calibrachoa.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been    observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Wescarasp’,as illustrated and described.